Thesis: According to Gary Scharnhorst in “The Two Faces of Mattie Silver”, Mattie is manipulative and takes advantage of Ethan’s affections for her.
Support: Scharnhorst points out how Mattie only allows Ethan to “embrace her” (Scharnhorst) after she realizes the precarious nature of her position, and learns about Zeena’s possible “desire to send her away” (Scharnhorst). Mattie always has an “ulterior motive” (Scharnhorst) for what she does and says to Ethan, depending on what she needs from him at the time. Even after Zeena declares Mattie must leave, she still tries to use her feminine wiles to make him take action against Ethan, doing “Whatever is necessary” to convince him, not because she likes him but because she needs him.
Counterclaim: Jennifer Travis claims that the fabric Ethan delivered his affections onto connected his feelings with Mattie’s since they were both touching it, but Scharnhorst points out that after Mattie sees the strange show of feelings she “Abruptly leaves” (Scharnhorst), and if she felt connected to Ethan she would not have left.
My Input: I believe Scharnhorstis correct in his idea of Mattie using Ethan for her own personal gain, he has a lot of interesting points that I had not noticed before, and he makes many connections that lead to the conclusion that Mattie may be pursuing Denis Eady before she had to transfer her affections to Ethan in order to stay living with them.
Criticism Response
“The Two Faces of Mattie Silver”
Gary ScharnhorstThesis:
According to Gary Scharnhorst in “The Two Faces of Mattie Silver”, Mattie is manipulative and takes advantage of Ethan’s affections for her.
Support:
Scharnhorst points out how Mattie only allows Ethan to “embrace her” (Scharnhorst) after she realizes the precarious nature of her position, and learns about Zeena’s possible “desire to send her away” (Scharnhorst). Mattie always has an “ulterior motive” (Scharnhorst) for what she does and says to Ethan, depending on what she needs from him at the time. Even after Zeena declares Mattie must leave, she still tries to use her feminine wiles to make him take action against Ethan, doing “Whatever is necessary” to convince him, not because she likes him but because she needs him.
Counterclaim:
Jennifer Travis claims that the fabric Ethan delivered his affections onto connected his feelings with Mattie’s since they were both touching it, but Scharnhorst points out that after Mattie sees the strange show of feelings she “Abruptly leaves” (Scharnhorst), and if she felt connected to Ethan she would not have left.
My Input:
I believe Scharnhorstis correct in his idea of Mattie using Ethan for her own personal gain, he has a lot of interesting points that I had not noticed before, and he makes many connections that lead to the conclusion that Mattie may be pursuing Denis Eady before she had to transfer her affections to Ethan in order to stay living with them.